Structure, Roles and Power of the Executive Flashcards
What are some roles of the Executive? - Structure, Roles and Power
Create domestic and enact foreign policy, defend the country, oversee law and order, coordinate state finances, implement and pass legislation, provide public services, deal with crises.
Who controls the UK Executive? Who is this on behalf of? - Structure, Roles and Power
The PM controls the UK executive, on behalf of the monarch due to the delegation of prerogative powers by the monarch.
What different groups is the UK Executive comprised of? - Structure, Roles and Power
The PM, Cabinet, Ministers, Government Departments, Executive Agencies, Civil Servants, Advisors, Party Officials, Think Tanks.
What are executive agencies? - Structure, Roles and Power
Executive agencies are divisions of government departments which carry out specific functions, carried out by civil servants.
What is a civil servant? What are their political decisions? - Structure, Roles and Power
A civil servant is an individual employed by a government department to aid and advise decision making, as well as execute policy. They are permanent roles INDEPENDENT OF PARTY LOYALTY.
What are the 8 prerogative powers of the PM? - Structure, Roles and Power
The PM can appoint/dismiss ministers, grant legal pardons, sign treaties, take action to deal with crises, declare war, authorise military action, award honours and grant/withdraw passports.
What examples are there of the PM appoint/dismiss ministers, granting legal pardons, signing treaties and dealing with crises? - Structure, Roles and Power
PM can reshuffle cabinet (Sunak reshuffle moving Shapps to Defence), David Cameron pardoned Alan Turing posthumously following his conviction for being gay, 2020 EU Trading agreement, Coronavirus Act and Government actions in 2020.
What examples are there of the PM declaring war, authorising military action, awarding honours and granting/withdrawing passports? - Structure, Roles and Power
Chamberlain in 1939 declaring war on Germany, Tony Blair authorised military action in Iraq in 2003 with the US, Boris Johnson awarded peerages to his brother, Kate Hoey and others, Shamima Begum had her passport withdrawn following her ISIS links.
How has the prerogative power to declare war/authorise military action changed in recent years? - Structure, Roles and Power
The prerogative power to authorise military action has changed since 2003 due to the Iraq War, with the convention being that Parliament must be consulted to approve military action.
How did the 2011 Fixed Term Parliaments Act alter the prerogative powers of the PM? How did this disadvantage the PM? - Structure, Roles and Power
The FTPA removed the power from the PM to decide when to call an election, with the Act automatically deciding the date of the next election. This removed the PM having a political advantage by calling an election at a suitable time.
In what circumstances could an early General Election be called under the FTPA 2011? - Structure, Roles and Power
An early general election can be called if 2/3 of Parliament agrees to call it or if a vote of no confidence is passed and a government is not formed in 2 weeks.
When has the FTPA 2011 been used to call an early general election? - Structure, Roles and Power
In April 2017, an election was planned to be called for June 2017. Again, an early election was called in December 2019.
Following the repeal of the 2011 Fixed Term Parliament Act, where does the power to call an election lie? - Structure, Roles and Power
Following the repeal of the Act, the power to call an election has reverted to the PM, hence strengthening the power of the Executive.
What is the core executive? - Structure, Roles and Power
The core executive is the central part of government, where key decisions are made. It is made up of a selection of elected ministers, appointed advisers and senior civil servants.
What arguments are there that the PM is not effectively a President? - Structure, Roles and Power
The PM is not head of state, the PM is not directly elected, the PM cannot commit the army without Parliamentary approval, a PM can be removed from office by Parliament or their own party, powers of the PM are not codified in a Constitution.
